Chicago's suburban mall towns are saving their once premiere shopping spaces — by redefining them.

Why it matters: Malls have been dying for the last decade-plus, causing economic uncertainty for many of the communities built around them.

The intrigue: Instead of letting malls fall into decay, many local municipalities are swooping in to purchase the shopping districts, hoping to revitalize them as community centers that provide sources of tax revenue.

Take Stratford Square: The Bloomingdale shopping center is considered a "dead mall." Its directory lists over 125 stores, but when we visited on a recent weekday, only two or three were open.

• A recent viral TikTok showing vacancy after vacancy at the west suburban mall has sparked nostalgic conversations about what once occupied these forgotten spaces.

Catch up fast: The Bloomingdale Village Board purchased Stratford Square Mall earlier this month for $8.75 million. The village has plans to redevelop the mall into more of a community gathering place, with restaurants and entertainment venues.

• "It is an amazing start to a new rebirth at Stratford Square Mall," Village President Franco Coladipietro said at a village meeting this month.

The big picture: Mall vacancies are at their highest level in over 15 years, according to a November retail outlook report by JLL, a real estate services company.

• In the age of e-commerce, many shopping centers are adding lifestyle experiences and attractions like entertainment venues and niche gyms as a way to attract visitors, Axios' April Rubin reports.

Zoom in: The village of West Dundee recently announced plans to acquire Spring Hill Mall.

• Officials plan to demolish the mall and replace it with mixed-use housing, alongside shopping and restaurants.

What we're watching: Other municipalities aren't waiting for their community malls to fall into disrepair before taking action.

• Skokie is working with a developer to renovate the Old Orchard mall, announcing new anchor tenants and plans for a new park and live event space.

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Is there anything eerier than walking through a dying mall? At best, it makes you nostalgic for a different age. At worst, you feel like you are in an episode of "The Last of Us."

There are hundreds of almost-vacant shopping malls across the country.

• Here are three in our area that either fit the criteria or are getting close.

📍 Stratford Square Mall

Bloomingdale, Illinois

This west suburban mall is a ghost town, complete with the leftover etching for a movie theater sign.

What's left: A few businesses including an escape room and a restaurant (Ana's Kitchen) in the food court.

📍 Northbrook Court

Northbrook, Illinois

Once considered a luxury mall for the wealthy northern suburb, it's now a glorified walking track for residents to get their steps in.

What's left: The mall's movie theater and some stores operating between vacant spaces.

📍 Golf Mill Shopping Center

Niles, Illinois

Golf Mill in Niles has tried to reimagine itself a few times since it debuted in 1960. While still open, the shopping center is littered with vacant storefronts.

What's left: Unusual mall tenants like martial arts training centers and golf simulators.

🎥 Want more? Check out this great YouTube series.

The ratings for the holiday season are out and WLIT-FM not only took the top spot again, but it made Chicago radio history.

• The adult contemporary station switched to all holiday music in November and reaped the benefits in December with a whopping 16.0 share.
• According to Radio Insight, it's the highest share since WGN-AM hit the mark in 1971.

🏈 The Bears hired Eric Washington to be their new defensive coordinator. This is Washington's second stint with the Bears; he coached the defensive line under Lovie Smith in 2010. (CBS Sports)

🏠 Naperville has nixed a plan that would have sought resident volunteers to host migrant families. (ABC7)

🦅 A bald eagle has been delighting neighbors and birders around Horner Park. (Sun-Times)

The White Sox announced ESPN's John Schriffen will be their new television play-by-play announcer for the 2024 season.

• The 39-year-old is the first Black play-by-play television announcer in Chicago baseball history, and the second Black play-by-play broadcaster currently working in MLB.

Showing the love: "Chicago sports fans," Schriffen told MLB.com, "... are the best fans in the country."

🎙️ 3 things to know about him:

1. Baseball: Schriffen went to Dartmouth and walked on as a pitcher.

• Yes, but: During the first week of practice, he injured his elbow, ending his career. That led to him broadcasting games at the school.

2. Experience: Since then, he has called pretty much every sport imaginable — XFL, college football, college basketball, softball and Korean baseball games during COVID (from his home in L.A.).

• He went viral for this fourth-down call during a United Football League game last season.

3. He got game: An avid hooper, he played in the 2013 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

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Chicago's culinary community gathered Sunday night for a revamped Jean Banchet Awards and party, handing top honors to:

• Paul Virant of Gaijin for chef of the year.
• Trevor Fleming, Emily Kraszyk and John Upton of Warlord for rising chefs of the year.
• Indienne for best new restaurant.
• Galit f0r restaurant of the year.

Go deeper for the full list of winners here.

Our social host, Moyo Adeolu, joined hundreds of people in the annual Polar Plunge this weekend, jumping into chilly Lake Michigan to raise money for local families.